Steve Kerr says LaMarcus Aldridge is one of best low-post players

San Antonio Spurs’ LaMarcus Aldridge went from being considered a failure in last year’s Western Conference Finals series against the Warriors, to being the subject of trade rumors over the summer, to now being his team’s leading scorer.

Aldridge is averaging 22.4 points on 49.9 percent shooting and 8.5 rebounds a game for the Spurs, who are in the third-place in the Western Conference with a record of 35-21 despite being without Kawhi Leonard (quadriceps tendinopathy) for the vast majority of the season.

The Spurs’ power forward has taken over the team in a way he wasn’t able to do last year in the playoffs after Leonard re-sprained his left ankle in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals against the Warriors, which the Warriors swept 4-0.

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In that series, Aldridge had eight points on four-for-11 shooting in Game 2, 18 points on seven-for-17 shooting in Game 3, and eight points on four-for-11 shooting in Game 4.

But things have changed and Kerr has taken notice. At Friday’s practice before the Warriors host the Spurs on Saturday, Kerr said that Aldridge has been “tremendous” this season for San Antonio.

“He’s been dominant,” Kerr said. “He’s one of the best low-post players in the league. It’s a dying breed.”

Even though the Spurs have struggled with having Leonard out for much of the regular season, Kerr pointed out that they’re always a team that needs to be watched.

“Pop always has a great feel for the big picture and getting through the season healthy and in one piece, if possible,” Kerr said. “I know that’s what they’re desperately trying to do now with this Kawhi situation. But yet here they are. They’re still in third place in the West, which is amazing. They’re finding ways to hold on and if they can get healthy, then they’re going to be tough for anybody.”